Posted by Colin on April 26, 2002 at 08:00:14:
In Reply to: It's only my opinion... posted by ConchHead on April 25, 2002 at 16:59:15:
Folks,
As a journalist who deals with this issue fairly regularly, let me point out that we are not talking about slander in terms of postings on the board. We are talking about libel.
The legal definition of slander:
Law. Oral communication of false statements injurious to a person's reputation.
Libel is: A false publication, as in writing, print, signs, or pictures, that damages a person's reputation.
The act of presenting such material to the public.
And Bahamian law, being largely based on British common law, treats libel quite harshly. I don't know if Bahamian courts have dealt much with web postings. U.S. courts have just started and they seem to be according Web postings slightly different legal status frm normal printed matter.
The crucial thing that marks libel is this, in U.S. law--opinion and satire about political figures or ideas are not libelous. Politicians and entertainers are all public figures. Ordinary members of the public can become public fugures through no fault of their own. For example, someone at a disaster who is caught on film can become a public figure. Anyone involved in a lawsuit that becomes a matter of public itnerest can become a public figure.
British law is much more restrictive. Also, it assumes the person accused of libel is guilty and must prove his or her innocence, the only example of this in British law.
When you boil all this down, it is safe to say that you cannot libel a shark. Calling someone who kills a shark a murderer is simply innacurate. You cannot murder a shark. You can only murder people.
The definitions of murder. NOte the crow reference!
The unlawful killing of one human by another, especially with premeditated malice.
Slang. Something that is very uncomfortable, difficult, or hazardous: The rush hour traffic is murder.
A flock of crows.